Letter to the editor: Jensen

Letter to the Editor  

More than 400 people are killed on Minnesota roads each year and the cause behind many of these deaths is drinking and driving.

As a law enforcement officer, I have responded to a number of alcohol-related crashes. I’ve seen the results of these preventable tragedies.

In Dodge County over the last three years, alcohol-related crashes accounted for two deaths and four serious injuries. During this same period, 309 impaired drivers were arrested for DWI.

Please do your part to keep our roads safe by not drinking and driving.  Whatever your plans are to celebrate this holiday season, celebrate safely-make plans for a safe and sober ride.

Remember, preventing unnecessary deaths on Minnesota roads is everyone’s  responsibility. Don’t risk getting behind the wheel after drinking too much-impaired motorists will be arrested and face the consequences. Drive sober or get pulled over.

Sincerely,
Jim Jensen
Sheriff of Dodge County

Letter to the editor: $1

Letter to the editor:

I read with interest Editor Randy Carlsen's comments in the December 7 issue of the DCI regarding the 1918 Kasson school open house that took place recently.  He stated that "...the city should drop the price on the building to $1 to give some incentive to a developer..."  I was struck by this suggestion because this is exactly what Princeton, MN did in the sale of its (would you believe 1918  high school?)  It was sold to a developer who did a great job creating comfortable apartments and adding a very modern physical fitness center, indoor swimming pool and gymnasium for community use.  Daily senior meals open to the community are also served there.  My wife and I were very impressed when we toured the Princeton facility this past summer, so much so that I mailed this information along with a brochure to Kasson Mayor Tim Tjosaas.  Princeton is a community of approximately 4,000 people located an hour north of the cities.  I realize that one size doesn't fit all and that every community is different,  but I found it interesting how the incentive in Princeton seems to be working.

                Dick Lawrence
                Brooklyn Center

Day Care Unions

Shame on Governor Dayton. He has pushed home based day care centers into a corner. Eventually there will be a vote to unionize home based day care centers and the governor tried to put it to a vote, but a Ramsey County judge blocked the order until January 16. The problem is only subsidized day care center operators can vote. It would be like the teachers union having a vote on an issue and saying only the female teachers can vote, but the vote is going to affect all teachers.

The DCI is running a front page story on the subject and I called several local home based day care centers. I tried to be objective in my search, but could not find a single one that was in favor of unionizing. In fact the ones I talked to were most upset by the fact they did not have a vote.

If it's not broke don't fix it and I feel home based day care operators around here feel just that way. I know the governor is very pro-union, but take this one off the table. If there is a vote then all 11,000 home based day care centers should be voting-not just the 4,300 subsidized ones proposed to vote.

DANGER: Trouble Spot

The other day I was driving past the Greenway Elevator and came to a complete stop at the stop sign. To my left were train cars, completely blocking my vision to the east. The only way I could see the main rail was to inch out on the side track, a mere few feet from the main one. If a train were coming at the exact wrong moment there is no way a person could react and stop in time.

In the last couple of days I took that route twice and each time held my breath as I  inched out and looked to my left. Can parking train cars like that be legal because it's anything but safe.

When the trains go through town they do sound the whistle before an intersection, but that still is no assurance people will have time to stop. It gives me chills driving through that intersection with the blind spot. I wonder if an accident/death has to happen until someone figures out the intersection is very unsafe in this situation.